Five Television Plays (David Mamet) Page 12

  ANDERTON: Uh-hmm.

  ESPOSITO: Where we going . . . ?

  (ANDERTON points out the route on the map.)

  ANDERTON: By the truck to here . . .

  ESPOSITO: We'll camp there tomor . . . (Sees something through the windshield.) And there he goes: The Man in Style is the Man who can Smile!

  (Through the windshield we see the PROFESSOR hurrying through the rain back to his tent.)

  ANDERTON: Forgot his poncho.

  ESPOSITO: There goes a man who is wet.

  ANDERTON: The wife and them all snug in their tents?

  ESPOSITO: Yup. Bugs in rugs. Well, one bug in a rug, anyway.

  ANDERTON: Yeah? Tell me.

  ESPOSITO: Broad's got roving eyes and toys in the attic, a bad combination.

  ANDERTON: So it goes. The truck to there (pointing at the map), camp there, three, four o'clock ‘morrow afternoon, and I think Friday we'll take him out on foot.

  ESPOSITO: What do you think my man's looking for?

  ANDERTON (shakes his head): I do not know . . . (Puts away the map.) That's enough for one day. You want a drink?

  ESPOSITO: Yeah, I want a drink. We allowed to drink on duty?

  ANDERTON: This day's over, Dan. I'm punching out.

  (He goes back into the body of the Rover, opens a compartment, brings out a bottle of bourbon and two glasses. He pours and he and ESPOSITO sit listening to the rain. Beat.)

  ESPOSITO: Ain't this nice . . . ?

  (ANDERTON nods. Beat. Through the windshield we see the tent the PROFESSOR has been in burst into flame.)

  Oh, God.

  (Angle: Outside the Land-Rover. ESPOSITO and ANDERTON burst out of the truck. Run to the back and take out a fire extinguisher. Rush to the burning tent and start cutting it down. The PROFESSOR and his wife come out of their tent. ANDERTON runs by them holding the fire extinguisher.)

  ANDERTON: It's alright. It's alright. Stay in your tent! It's alright!

  (ANDERTON rushes on. Starts spraying the tent with the fire extinguisher. The PROFESSOR rushes to the tent, starts to rush inside.)

  ANDERTON: Danny!

  (ESPOSITO turns, sees the PROFESSOR, restrains him.)

  PROFESSOR: My map! My map!

  ESPOSITO: Wha . . . ?

  PROFESSOR: My maps . . . my maps are in the . . .

  ANDERTON (above them): Let it burn . . . Let'em burn!!!

  PROFESSOR: My maps are in the . . . (He tries to push past ESPOSITO.)

  ESPOSITO: Mike! Take ’em!

  (ESPOSITO goes into the flaming tent, starts throwing stuff out of it. ANDERTON restrains the PROFESSOR. Hold. Throws him away from the flames and to the ground, goes into the tent after ESPOSITO and drags him out.)

  ANDERTON: Are you nuts!!!??? Let's get this thing out.

  (The area outside the tent is strewn with the PROFESSOR’S papers, ANDERTON and ESPOSITO work at getting the fire out, the PROFESSOR scavenges on the ground for his paper.)

  PROFESSOR (to himself): Where is it . . . ? Where is it . . . ? (He spies something ten yards away from him.)

  (Angle point of view: His map.)

  (Angle: He starts after it, it blows away. He starts into the woods in pursuit of it, which carries him past ANDERTON and ESPOSITO, who are just bringing the fire into control. They do so, and retire, to watch it smolder.)

  ANDERTON: You okay . . . ?

  ESPOSITO (simultaneously): You okay . . . ?

  ANDERTON: I'm fine.

  (ESPOSITO starts picking up the papers that are not blown by the wind. He weights them down with the emergency pack. He looks around. MRS. SCHOLTZ is huddled in the front of her tent. ANDERTON goes over to her.)

  It's fine. It's under control. You'll be fine. Stay dry, stay in your tent. Danny's got most of the stuff out of the . . .

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Where's my husband?

  ANDERTON: He . . . ? (He looks around.)

  (Angle point of view: ESPOSITO picking up the papers, stashes them in safety in the front of the Rover.)

  (Angle: ANDERTON goes over to him.)

  ANDERTON: Where's the professor?

  (Beat. ESPOSITO looks around. They split up and make a circuit of the camp. They meet back by the truck. ANDERTON gives ESPOSITO a quick questioning look. ESPOSITO shakes his head “No.”)

  ESPOSITO: You want to stay or go?

  ANDERTON: I'll go.

  (ESPOSITO throws him the emergency pack which he has just taken out of the burning tent. ANDERTON takes out the flashlight, shines it, the beam is strong.)

  ESPOSITO: He went North. (ESPOSITO points.) You're heading three-forty degrees.

  ANDERTON: You sure?

  ESPOSITO: That's how I parked the truck.

  (ANDERTON looks down at his watch, shining the flashlight on it.)

  (Angle: The watch. It is 9:30.)

  (Angle: ANDERTON and ESPOSITO.)

  ANDERTON: See you . . .

  (ANDERTON heads out into the woods along the path ESPOSITO has pointed. ESPOSITO goes into the truck. Turns it on, turns on the headlights. He beeps the horn several times. Gets out of the cab, comes over to MRS. SCHOLTZ.)

  ESPOSITO: Can you hear that?

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: What?

  ESPOSITO: The horn. The truck horn. Can you hear it?

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Where's my husband?

  ESPOSITO: Ma'am, he's in the woods. Can you hear the horn?

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: He's in the woods? ESPOSITO: Mike will bring him back.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ (distraught, sarcastic): Oh, “Mike.” “Mike.” “Mike will bring him back.”

  ESPOSITO: Yes, Ma'am.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Or what? Or What? Or “die trying"?

  ESPOSITO: Ma'am, that will not be necessary, but the answer is: Yes, Mike will bring him back or he will die trying. I'm going to honk the horn. You tell me if you can hear it.

  (ESPOSITO goes back into the Rover. Honks the horn every three seconds. He turns on the windshield wipers. We see MRS. SCHOLTZ standing forlornly in front of her tent.)

  ACT THREE

  INSIDE THE TENT.

  Close up: A game of solitaire laid out, a woman's hand sweeping up the cards.

  Angle: ESPOSITO and MRS. SCHOLTZ sitting at the folding table. Beat.

  ESPOSITO: You know casino?

  (Beat. He looks down at his watch.)

  (Insert: The watch. It is ten minutes to twelve.)

  (Angle: MRS. SCHOLTZ and ESPOSITO.)

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Do you know there's nothing people can say about themselves that hasn't been said?

  ESPOSITO: Well, people talk about themselves, what does it mean? MRS. SCHOLTZ: What does it mean?

  ESPOSITO: They're try'n to choose up sides, they're try'n to create a role. We all like to be comfortable. You get into a new situation, you want people to know what that role is. Nothing to it.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Do you ever have fantasies?

  ESPOSITO: Everyone has fantasies.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: They do?

  ESPOSITO: Yes.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Do you?

  ESPOSITO: Sure. Let me tell you something, nice thing about them is you don't have to act on them.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Come sit by me. I'm frightened.

  ESPOSITO: Come on. Look: hey?

  (He goes to the front of the tent, opens the flap, looks out.)

  Do you mind if I talk to you . . . ? You, you know. People are out there. Your husband is out there. My partner is out there. Someone you're close to goes through something. Whatever. One person: “How can I help.” “I hope that they are alright.” Another person, here: "My, this is out there, my husband ... I don't need him.” Huh. “I never liked him anyway. Far from I want him to be safe, I hope he never comes back. I can live my fantasy. I know! This Guy I never met. He's an attractive man . . . ! I'll bet he'll understand me. Or could please me or something . . . how” . . . am I, uh, upsetting you . . . ? “How wonderful I'm so free at this moment I can live my own life. I'm unbound by all the middle-class nonsense that makes everyone e
lse so dull. ‘Cause I don't need him anyhow.”

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Oh and is that the world that you see . . . ?

  ESPOSITO: Yes. I'm going to the truck.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Can I come with you . . . ?

  ESPOSITO: You want to come with me?

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Yes.

  ESPOSITO: Sure. (Sighs.) Come on, let's beep the horn.

  (He opens the flap of the tent. We see the storm again. Over his shoulder:)

  Put on your poncho.

  DEEP IN THE WOODS. DARK.

  The rain pounding. ANDERTON stopping to examine the ground. Shines his light on the earth. Straightens, checks his watch, moves his eyes slowly to right and left in half circle, moves on, surveys the ground again with flashlight. Moves on. Stoops, surveys the ground again. He retraces his steps and goes back to the last sure track. He moves from there out to his left, and repeats the procedure. He moves on.

  Back in the cab of the truck, ESPOSITO and MRS. SCHOLTZ. She is smoking a cigarette. Stubs it out, takes out a cigarette pack.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: You want one?

  ESPOSITO: Gave it up.

  (Beat.)

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Long ago?

  ESPOSITO: Un-hmmm. (Beat.)

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: You want one anyway?

  ESPOSITO: No thanks.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Are they alright out there?

  ESPOSITO: I think that they ... I don't know. I, finally all it is, is it's wet. If your husband stays calm till Mike finds him, he'll be fine.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Mike will find him?

  ESPOSITO: Yes. Eventually. I'd say probably quickly.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: He won't get lost?

  ESPOSITO: Mike? (Smiles.) No. I don't think so. That's his business.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Have you ever been lost?

  ESPOSITO: As Daniel Boone said, they asked him if he'd ever been lost, he said, no, he'd never been lost, but once he was a tad bewildered for five days . . . (Smiles. Beat.)

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Are you mad at me?

  ESPOSITO: Mad at you? No, I'm not mad at you at all. I kind of like you . . .

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: You do?

  ESPOSITO: Yeah.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Why?

  ESPOSITO: Well . . . why. Well, here's two possibilities: One: I'm not very perceptive, and I'm taken in by your essentially bitchy facade, and two, is that you're basically a likable person. (Beat.) You want to listen to the radio? (Beat.)

  MRS. SCHOLTZ: Sure.

  ESPOSITO: Let's see what we can get.

  (He turns on the radio. We hear old-time dance music. He tries the windshield wipers for a moment, nothing to be seen. He turns them off. He looks at his watch.)

  (Insert: It is 1:20.)

  (Angle: ESPOSITO. He begins to look worried.)

  IN THE WOODS.

  ANDERTON stooping. Examining the tracks. Straightens, is about to shine his light. Stops. Looks intently into the woods before him. He moves ahead hurriedly. Lightning flashes, we see the PROFESSOR stumbling blindly about in the woods. He is disoriented. ANDERTON moves up to him, moves around before him, approaches him.

  ANDERTON: Professor!

  (The PROFESSOR is frightened. Starts to bolt away from ANDERTON. ANDERTON runs after him. Tackles him. The PROFESSOR tries to struggle up and away.)

  ANDERTON: It's alright. It's alright. It's me . . . it's Anderton. It's alright . . . You're fine . . . It's alright . . .

  (The PROFESSOR comes to his senses.)

  PROFESSOR: You . . .

  ANDERTON: It's alright.

  PROFESSOR: You . . .

  ANDERTON: It's alright. You're fine. You're fine. Everything is fine. We're going back now. (Beat.) We're going back now. Now we're just going to be still for a moment, now.

  (He stands with his arm on the PROFESSOR‘S shoulder, calming him.)

  PROFESSOR (Still very disoriented, and very weak): I . . . I . . . I . . .

  ANDERTON: You're fine. Can you walk?

  PROFESSOR: I'm so tired.

  ANDERTON: Okay. Here's what we're going to . . .

  (He leads the PROFESSOR to the lee of a large tree, sits him down, squats by him.)

  You stay here . . .

  (He has second thoughts, as the PROFESSOR starts to fidget, still disoriented.)

  You got a dollar bill . . . you got a dollar bill . . . ?

  PROFESSOR: I . . .

  ANDERTON: I need it and we have to have it. Now. You have a dol . . .

  PROFESSOR: Yes. I . . . I think . . . (He rummages in his pocket, takes out a moneyclip, takes out a dollar bill, holds it limply.)

  ANDERTON: Look:

  (Takes a small pocketknife from his own pocket, hands it to the PROFESSOR, takes a coil of nylon rope from his emergency pack, cuts off four or five feet, and hands the knife, the rope, and the dollar to the PROFESSOR.)

  We need six-inch lengths . . . are you listening to me. Listen to me: we need this: we need it now: six . . . You need to cut this line into six-inch lengths. You got it. Are you listening to me. Wake up now. I need this rope cut into the lengths of this dollar bill . . .

  PROFESSOR: You want me to cut the rope . . . ?

  ANDERTON: I want you to cut it exactly. It must be exactly. In the length of this dollar bill. You got it?

  PROFESSOR: How many . . .

  ANDERTON: As many as you can. You with me?

  PROFESSOR: I . . .

  ANDERTON: You with me?

  PROFESSOR: Yes.

  ANDERTON: Good. You're doing fine. Good.

  (The PROFESSOR starts cutting the nylon line into lengths, measuring it against the dollar bill. ANDERTON takes a small hatchet out of his emergency pack. Camera follows him as he cuts down several small one-inch diameter saplings to a length of about five feet. He strips them, looking back every once in a while at the PROFESSOR to check on him. When he has six or eight saplings he carries them back to the PROFESSOR, who is finishing cutting the lengths of rope.)

  ANDERTON: How we doing?

  PROFESSOR: Yes. I have it.

  ANDERTON: Good. Keep it up.

  (ANDERTON takes the rope lengths the PROFESSOR has cut, and lashes the saplings together into a 5x5 frame, notching them where they join with the PROFESSOR‘S survival knife and lashing with the rope. He lashes two uprights to make a lean-to, takes several more lengths from the PROFESSOR and, removing his poncho, lashes it over the frame. It is now a waterproof covering. ANDERTON digs the ends of the lean-to and the upright into the ground, and they now have a waterproof shelter. He points the PROFESSOR to go beneath the lean-to.)

  PROFESSOR: What are we going to do?

  ANDERTON: We're going to get dry for a while, rest up, take a little nap.

  PROFESSOR: We're going to stay here tonight?

  ANDERTON: You go to sleep, everything is fine.

  PROFESSOR: How are we going to make a fire?

  ANDERTON: That's what you're paying me for. You go to sleep.

  PROFESSOR: I . . .

  ANDERTON: I know.

  PROFESSOR: I'm so tired.

  ANDERTON: I know that you are. You go to sleep.

  PROFESSOR: I lost the map.

  ANDERTON: What?

  PROFESSOR: I lost the map. I lost it.

  ANDERTON: You go to sleep. (ANDERTON takes off his pack, shelters it beneath the lean-to.) You . . . you watch this stuff. Make sure nothing happens to it. I'm going to be right outside a while. You guard the stuff.

  PROFESSOR: I will.

  ANDERTON: What?

  PROFESSOR: I will.

  ANDERTON: I'm counting on you. Good.

  (ANDERTON goes out into the rain with the hatchet. He looks back on the PROFESSOR, who is curling up on top of the pack. ANDERTON starts to work cutting down some more saplings. Takes some deadwood off the ground, carries it and the saplings back to the shade of the lean-to, starts stripping the saplings, digging into the deadwood to find some dry pith, sets about building the fire.)

  PROFESSOR: I lost my map . . . I've ruined my project
I . . .

  ANDERTON: Nothing to do about it tonight. (Listens intently.) Rain's dying. It'll let up before the morning. They'll be coming for us soon, so you must be quiet now: I have to listen for them. You understand? (Beat.)

  PROFESSOR: Yes.

  ANDERTON: Alright, you go to sleep. Good.

  (Beat. He puts a match to the fire he has been building, it takes the match and starts, he shelters it, adds small pieces of kindling, builds up the fire.)

  AT THE TRUCK.

  MRS. SCHOLTZ, asleep on ESPOSITO‘S shoulder. ESPOSITO turns on the windshield wipers. Nothing. Rubs his eyes, turns off the radio which is playing very softly, a symphony. He rotates his neck to get a kink out. Slowly, so as not to disturb MRS. SCHOLTZ, sinks down slightly in his seat, and closes his eyes.

  ACT FOUR

  THE LEAN-TO IN THE WOODS. MORNING.

  ANDERTON has built a large campfire some yards from the lean-to. He has constructed a drying rack over it and is drying out his clothes. He is stripped naked squatting before the fire, looking at the PROFESSOR. ANDERTON squints at the sun, looks at the PROFESSOR, picks up a small pebble, and flips it at the sleeping PROFESSOR. He does it again. The PROFESSOR wakes up.

  PROFESSOR: Where are we?

  ANDERTON: Like that old joke, “we're in the woods, “ you ever want to be an Indian?

  (The PROFESSOR gets up, wet, sleepy, miserable.)

  PROFESSOR: Where are we?

  ANDERTON: I surmise—(of his clothes) Take that stuff off and dry it off—come on, there's nobody here but us chickens. I surmise we're three-four hours from the truck, which is basically south.

  PROFESSOR: Basically south . . .

  ANDERTON: I have a confession to make which is that my highline Emergency Survival Pack seems to be without a compass. (Beat.) You have one?

  PROFESSOR: No, but they'll be coming for us.

  ANDERTON: No, they won't. Danny will stay with the truck.

  PROFESSOR: You said they'll be coming for us.

  ANDERTON: No. Just trying to put your mind at rest. They couldn't find us. Grace of God, I found you, ’cause the rain was washing out the track.

  PROFESSOR: They aren't coming for us?

  ANDERTON: No. We're going to dry off, and then we're going to walk out.

  PROFESSOR: How will we walk out without a compass?

  ANDERTON: What direction were we going in the truck?

  PROFESSOR: I . . . North.